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Happy New Year! From Christmas to New Year, people flock to diet or exercise. Their aim is to trim pounds and firm muscles – indiscretions from the past 10 months. Their motivation flees. The diets wear off, gyms are no longer crowded. By February’s end everything shifts to normal, for the majority. Magazines, online networks, and gyms shift to high gear to provide guidance for your wishes and dollars. Is it effort well spent? Is weight management really worth the sacrifice?

Dieting seems almost punitive for weight management. It is akin to getting off an addiction and addicts seem to be all around you. There are literally hundreds of ways toward weight reduction and neither are quick ways to lose 20 or more pounds – and keep them off. Weight Watchers is among the senior dietary lifestyles. Weekly meetings (somewhat like alcoholics anonymous) and simple point-system diet approaches has made Weight Watchers one of the most popular diet approaches but there are others!

After all celebrations and parties of 2016, getting back into shape is the most common wish for the dawn of 2017. Gyms are mostly crowded from January through March than any other time of year. It is appropriate that diets and lifestyle choices market to those that have neglected those previous promises of 2016 or 2015. Yet, for 2017, the DASH diet tops the list as a dietary approach to reduce hypertension. For weight loss, Weight Watchers retains the throne.

Weight gain does not necessarily fault dietary indiscretions or low activity. Aging is associated with weight and unsightly bulges. At around age 30 you also start losing about half a pound of your calorie burning muscle tissue each year. At 50, that rate doubles. Women have fat distributed throughout body while men most accumulate it at the abs. As an additional variant, some people have a genetic predisposition to fat accumulation. Food and activity may not be associated with weight. General wisdom dictates you have to use the calories you eat through activity to help maintain a stable weight. Are you a weight watcher?

For nearly 60 years, Weight Watchers has had the longest staying power over many diets. Its approach is different. Weight Watchers realizes one thing that most diets neglect – in most cases Weight gain and loss is part of a lifestyle choice. Weight Watchers aims a belief that dieting is just one part of long-term weight management. A healthy body results from a healthy lifestyle – which means mental, emotional and physical health. Almost like Alcoholics Anonymous or other addictive programs, Weight Watchers has weekly meetings at centers or online. Their overall approach is to provide information and support to help you reach your goals.

Any diet is often viewed as a form of punishment. Most diets are virtually a form of masochism and most can’t endure the rigors and pains. Weight Watchers is a support group for those who saw their bodies change through months or years of pleasure gratification. Through social meetings and guides, Weight Watchers helps take the pain out of dieting toward reaching your impossible dream weight. The approach works about 10 to 15%, as long as you stick to the program.

Of course, there are other popular diets. The Mediterranean Diet and Atkins’ low-carbohydrate diets. While attractive and popular, these diets lack guidance through the rigors of mediating a lifestyle. The strength of Weight Watchers is that, among normal people, the social class-like approaches target the adaptation of diet as a lifestyle. The design is to keep you on top of your struggle to win.

Other diets may aim at helping reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. These usually require guidance by a physician and/or a nutritionist. These diets may also contribute to weight loss.

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods that people used to eat in countries like Italy and Greece around 1950, before being tainted by canned and processed package foods. Italian and Greek bloodlines have generally low bad cholesterol and very high good cholesterol, as well as sugars in the normal range. The diet is relatively simple but there are several items you need to moderate. In addition, the Mediterranean Diet also has a component of activity. In the 1950’s, Greece and Italy were very agrarian, producing oils, wines, and other foods. Basically, this is how the Mediterranean Diet works:

It should also be noted that pasta and breads were more like side-dishes. Pasta was eaten as a side-dish in the Mediterranean, unlike the entree sizes found in USA restaurants.Also note that it is high in plant foods, and relatively low in animal foods. Eating fish and seafood is recommended at least twice a week. Red meat was less available in this region. Often ignored, physical activity is also vital as part of this diet lifestyle for added benefits. The problem is: Can you follow this lifestyle in a world of donuts, sodas, and snacks in the 21st Century?

The original Atkins Diet is a low-carb approach to a diet strategy. It really works but at a very social price. Basically, this diet by eating a diet rich in protein and fat, and very low in carbs. That means a burger without the bun or any fries. Figure on no bread, pasta, grains, and fruit. Let them eat cake? Sorry, no cake either! Atkins is a ketogenic form of diet that limits carbohydrates to less than 40 grams a day (about 2 slices of bread).

A ketogenic diet aims to help you get into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a state at which the body has an extremely high fat-burning rate. Even the brain runs on fat, via ketone bodies. These are energy molecules in the blood (like blood sugar) which become fuel for our brains after being converted from fat by the liver. Your body requires very little sugars (carbohydrates) through a process of gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a metabolic process of making glucose, a necessary body fuel, from non-carbohydrate sources such as protein (amino acids), lactate from the muscles and the glycerol component of fatty acids. Whatever glucose your body needs is generated by the kidneys, liver, and brain.

The Atkins diet tricks your body to create energy from cheese, meats, fish, and eggs. This trick requires endurance and lots of self control to keep carbs at 40g or below. There are side effects such as leg cramps, constipation, and reduction of physical performance. These will likely occur within the first few weeks as your body adapts to your carbohydrate withdrawal.

The benefits are reduction in carbohydrate cravings, control of some diabetic symptoms, and a calmer digestive system. Avoiding carbs usually results in weight loss, without hunger. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the hormone insulin; the body’s main fat-storing hormone. By eating proteins and fats for energy, your fat storage begins to melt away.

Of course, this means no more meat and potatoes. Possibility of eating a sandwich using 1 slice of bread. If you drink coffee with milk (no sugar), the milk may contribute 7 grams of carbohydrates.

Ketosis only works as an enduring lifestyle. If you go off it, such as binging at a party, the positive effects are lost.

The Atkins ketogenic diet is radical in a society where carbohydrates are part of every possible food other than meats themselves. The allowable foods may elevate cholesterol blood levels for those that are sensitive. It takes quite a large amount of discipline but you will be amazed at the rate of weight loss.

Like Weight Watchers, Atkins is a diet business. Recently Atkins introduced a version suitable for vegans and vegetarians…the Eco Diet system. The Atkins Eco Diet ranks fifth behind Weight Watchers number one spot in the US News and World Report’s category of Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets. Unlike Weight Watchers, neither the Mediterranean or Atkins diets offer guidance. Higher ranking Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers do.

There are many vegetarian sources of protein and this protein is free of cholesterol. While soy first comes to mind, there are many sources from beans to legumes, nuts and whole grains that deliver nice protein amounts, plus vital phytonutrients that only are found in vegetables. The oddity is that many of these sources do have carbohydrates to contend with, How do you keep it low-carb?

Scientifically, the vegetarian approach of Eco Atkins Diet overcomes some of the arterial weaknesses of the original Atkins Diet. Eco Atkins Diet lets you raise the maximum threshold for ketosis. he average daily intake of carbohydrates should be 130 grams or a lttle less, the bare minimum needed by the brain to function properly. You have to choose carbohydrates wisely while following this diet. No starchy foods are permitted in the diet, so avoid foods like white bread, rice, potatoes and baked goods. Fruits, vegetables, oats, white grain cereals and whole grain bread are recommended. Click for more information here.

Managing weight might also be associated with depression. Both eating too much and not eating enough can be signs of depression. While loss of appetite is a common depression symptom, feelings of sadness or worthlessness can make some people overeat. Sadness, self-esteem, and depression may be confounders of any weight management regimen. Weight management is a slow, tedious process. Furthermore, some anti-depressants may have side-effects that promote weight gain for some.

Although dietary calories and fats consumed and dietary calories used as a routine of diet and activity, along with fashion and health, weight watching makes many of us weight watchers. Weight watchers mustn’t watch passively. They must follow through with their chosen lifestyle. That lifestyle must be like religious, fervent emotion. It requires constancy; almost like training to run a marathon. No diet is easy.

While Weight Watchers still holds a favored status as a guidance-based weight management program. There are hundreds of diets and more diet/active regimens out there. Through wishes for a productive and better new year. The intent of weight watching is often merely an intent. Diet and/or activity are ominous phantoms and ghosts that both allure and repel most wills from constancy. Basically, fat loss means constant focus. Weight Watchers offers some guidance along the way – if you can stick with it. Make dieting season your dieting year!

When it comes to wellness and longevity, what might be the best method of achievement?

A nearly 50 year study in Sweden asserts that physical wellness and breath capacity are key variables for cardiovascular wellness. Basically, when compared to hypertension, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and smoking, poor physical fitness was noted nearly harmful as smoking for heart health.

What are some of the factors that help determine the length of your life? Is it diet? Is it physical activity? Is it obesity? Is it smoking? Is it genetic predispositions? Study shows poor physical fitness is nearly as harmful as smoking as risks for getting a heart attack or stroke. Does aerobic fitness determine an improved life length? I think fitness has to do with weight management AND exercise together.

How many hours do you sit in front of your TV in a week? How long do you sit in front of your Mac or PC each day? How far do you walk (or do any aerobic activity) per week? When it comes to heart health, two factors scored high as risks – smoking and aerobic exercise. This 45 year longitudinal study seems to assert that poor aerobic physical fitness is nearly as harmful as smoking, at least, in Sweden. Is it applicable elsewhere?

Swedish researchers followed up on nearly 700 Swedish men for 45 years (1967 to 2012_ years to find risk factors for heart attacks and death. This is one of many longitudinal studies that Sweden generates. The reports showed fairly obvious and startling results. Smokers, men with high cholesterol levels or hypertension ran a higher risk of a premature death. Low levels of aerobic capacity – or poor physical fitness actually represented a higher death risk than high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Only smoking was found to be a higher risk factor than poor (aerobic) physical fitness. Is it time to consider walking more than watching TV or staring at the monitor?

A longitudinal study is an observational research method in which data is gathered for the same subjects repeatedly over a period of years, decades, and longer. Compared to short studies, longitudinal studies show responses over time, sometimes lifespan.

In 1967, the group’s members all completed an exercise test. 656 of the subject group carried out a maximum exercise test where they were required to push themselves to the limit (the others were exempt due to health concerns that might have made the exertion dangerous). Oxygen uptake was measured using with consistent instrumentation that measure respiration and gas metabolism during exercise. Subjects were monitored every 10 years. Data on smoking habits, leisure time physical activity, mental stress and previous diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, as well as on pharmacological treatments were collected by questionnaires.

Smoking was the most likely lifestyle factor to kill a person early, but low aerobic capacity as measured by peak oxygen uptake (better known as VO2 Max) was linked to higher mortality than the other cardiovascular factors assessed. The men with the lowest VO2 Max (maximal oxygen uptake) had a 42 percent higher risk of dying of premature death than the men who were the fittest, and about 21 percent higher risk than men with average aerobic capacity.

Of course, previous mortality rates conducted by the American Heart Association indicate that high LDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and hypertension have been evident in patients with cardiovascular incidents. LDL Cholesterol and (in less than 2% of population) Homocysteine may contribute to to artery blockages. Left unchecked, these have been observable causes of strokes and heart attacks.

The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). Thirty minutes a day, five times a week may help minimize the risk of a heart attack, a leading killer.

Of course you join a gym and use treadmills, joggers, stair-masters, or join a spinning class to boost your aerobic fitness. It’ll help meet those recommended lifestyle guidelines. Considering most people’s busy lives, is it really possible?

Cardiovascular health is likely more associated with exercise constancy. Taking routine time each day or two for 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity. It has to be integrated and mindful in your lifestyle as a routine, not as an option. Cardiovascular exercises help increase breath volume capacity, movement of body fluids, and use of calories.Sound difficult?

Try walking! Make time to walk to work, walk to meetings, walk around your neighborhood or walk when shopping. Walking briskly, even moderately may help boost aerobic fitness and improve your cardiovascular integrity. The AHA cites a recent study that indicates, “walking briskly can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as much as running.” Many studies suggest that walking improves cardiac risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation, and mental stress.

Just 30 minutes walking every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. Even if you don’t smoke, don’t have high levels of cholesterol, and don’t have hypertension, the benefits of walking are prime at thwarting many health risks.

The exciting data from Sweden’s longitudinal study and those of USA cross-sectional studies clearly match. All infer that the causality of cardiovascular and respiratory health and heart wellness are associated with marked levels of activity.

Aerobically poor physical fitness is near the top of the list of variables that increase risks of cardiovascular episodes, sometimes even if there are no indexes of other cardiovascular risks.

While following a healthy diet is important, a motivated routing of aerobic exercise seems to offer assurances that you will have a higher quality and longer cardiovascular life if you try to walk moderately brisk 30 minutes per day. The Swedish know it. USA medical specialists know it. So should you.

Understanding cardiovascular health means opting for lifestyle choices, with no interruptions. And no smoking.

While cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and diet may be causes of havoc within arteries leading to the heart, brain, and some other areas, the Swedish study prioritizes how crucial breathing is to upgrade your status toward cardiovascular health.

Of course, there are those that may have chronic asthma or COPD and other respiratory conditions that wouldn’t have qualified for the respiratory segment of the Swedish study. They are likely to be already treated by another specialist.

For most, however, in this cardiac risk study, healthy breathing was an important variable in assessing longevity of cardiovascular wellness.

As part of normal daily activities, if you find you lose your breath on short walks or climbing a few stairs, it may be an indicator of cardiovascular disease, even if your cholesterol and other blood indicators are within the normal range. The importance of respiration integrity with stress is a good marker for potential cardiovascular risks. This stress-test is usually given by a cardiologist exploring possible symptoms. If you don’t smoke but experience breathing problems, consider adding a cardiologist on your To-Do list.

It is also suggested if you feel changes in the way you breathe, seek medical attention as there are many serious respiratory illnesses that may occur during your aging process. Unawareness or ignoring symptoms contribute to degrees of poor physical fitness.

Overall, if you have any of the indicators that may contribute to cardiovascular events that could lead to heart attacks or strokes, be wary of them. Find out more from a medical specialist or alternative cardiologist and what you can do about them. You would be surprised that physical fitness and weight management are two common approaches to help alleviate ongoing cardiovascular diseases. The Swedish study may be valid. Poor physical fitness is, as the Swedish study asserts, is almost as bad as smoking as a lifestyle that might contribute to heart diseases.

Sweden is very serious about fitness, exercise, and diet. This could be a confounding variable in the overall results and report. Nonetheless, world organizations support physical fitness and diet responsibilities as keys for life extension. Breathe well and move.

Cardiovascular illnesses may be genetic but, in general, they may arise by lifestyle choices and poverty. While this study demonstrates the significance of physical fitness to suppress some symptoms of this silent killer, routine blood tests covering lipids are very important. Ask your physician to give you a copy of the blood test results so you can track them. You may never know whether you are a candidate or not. Becoming fit doesn’t guarantee happily ever afters. Fitness may just help sweeten and lengthen your odds of living well, as part of an integrated approach. Isn’t that what you want? What’s stopping you?

Are you a carbohydrate addict? Chances are high that you are. In many situations, this might be considered a healthy addiction. It has helped humans survive for thousands of years. Most don’t realize it. Until, of course, we get drunk from them. Ultimately, we gain weight and develop all sorts of ailments due to excessive weight gain.

Many diets are based on calories. If you are a certain weight, you need a certain amount of calories. Eat more than you need, you gain weight. Eat less, you lose. Activity helps you lose by using calories. These calories are derived as energy measurements primarily based on carbohydrate addictions. That is where many calories are found. Gluconeogenesis is like methodone to a heroin addict. You get energy from food but you can’t have carbohydrates.

We all have addictions we grapple with. Some may be drugs, alcohols, foods and or other substances. We have behavioral addictions and these repetitive notions can alter our senses of wellness. Yet, most of us live day-to-day in an adaptive schema. That is, until one notices differences. Today, weight management is one of those observable problems. Virtually anybody will dole out wise advice about this and that to do. Most weight management problems are results of eating habits and contemporary perspectives that being thin is in. But we love our carbohydrates! Gluconeogenesis is a built-in system that helps us manage weight if we virtually eliminate carbohydrates from our diet. A Gluconeogenesis diet for carbohydrate addiction uses a body’s natural processes to create energy for living with minimal intake of carbohydrates.

Your kidney, liver, and brain can produce all the carbohydrates your body needs via gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis relates to that process. A diet of less than 40 grams of carbohydrates per day will, over the course of weeks or months, will help shed pounds via ketosis.. You may eat protein and fat from fish and meat sources. If you have cholesterol issues, this is not the diet for you.

Whether you find yourself fashionably challenged by weight gain or whether you confront new health issues associated with excess weight, there are many solutions. Some are faster. Some are slower. Some don’t work at all. The problems may not lie in your motivations but lie as to how dietary carbohydrates (sugars, starches) are used. stored, and eliminated by the body. This is a very involved and difficult process extending from thousands of years of evolution. The process is referred as Gluconeogenesis. Sometimes fashion and health benefits seem massive achievements because this process runs against reason and appetite control.

Humans were probably first vegetarians as carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. They are digested as sugars and starches that are easy fuel sources that help sustain body maintenance and growth. Glucose, a form of sugar, is essential for brain functioning. Lactate, another sugar, aids muscle development. We are born carbohydrate addicts.

We must have our carbohydrates. They are the premium fuel sources our body needs. They also taste good, an inviting reward. Yet, imbalances of carbohydrates and storage lead to fat accumulation and other organic problems. Blood glucose levels must be maintained within a narrow range for good health. If blood sugar is too high, it results in tissue and organ damage. If it is too low, cellular respiration and energy production can suffer.

One of those organs is the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland that produces insulin that helps maintain glucose levels every second. If blood sugar is too high, and the pancreas does not generate enough insulin, diabetes may be a result. While some are born with diabetes as a condition, many become diabetic because their lifestyle makes them drunk with sugar.

There are organs that help filter levels of anything that are too high. The ability of the liver and kidneys to “make new sugar” and regulate blood sugar levels is critical. Sugars are basic body fuel and if it isn’t present, your body has otherwise inert systems to generate those essential sugars.

The Atkins Diet, a form of ketogenic diet, are a difficult dietary trick that sharply reduce the carbohydrate intake you and your body are accustomed to having. The alternative food sources are fats and proteins. How does the body generate glucose when no carbohydrates are present? This is where natural gluconeogenesis is necessary. If gluconeogenesis were absent, you wouldn’t live very long. Your body must have a constant and steady level of blood glucose to keep the brain and red blood cells function. Severely limiting carbohydrate intake, a ketogenic diet allows consumption of fat and proteins, mostly from meat and fish sources that naturally have no carbohydrates. Are ketogenic diets trying to kill you?

The Atkins diet program has since released a more modified ketogenic diet design for vegans. Called the Eco-Diet Plan, this allows up to 130g carbohydrate intake. Gluconeogenesis is slower resulting in slower weight reduction. Beleve it or not, a medium mixed salad has about 130g carbohydrates! But the Eco-Diet takes protein and fats from vegan sources, such as Soy as Tofu. Tofu has less than 2g carbohydrates per serving.

Addictions are difficult to drop. Habitual drug and alcohol users go through agony to attempt escape from addictions. They are lifelong efforts. Gluconeogenesis is your body’s metabolic process of making glucose, a necessary body fuel, from non-carbohydrate sources such as protein (amino acids), lactate from the muscles and the glycerol component of fatty acids. The problem is…like the alcoholic…you find the carbohydrate addiction is hard to break. In a world where carbohydrates constitute most foods (including alcoholic drinks), the ketogenic diet is a problem of will against matter and matter always and usually wins.

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. There are several ketogenic diets and they stress that no more than 60 grams of carbohydrates can be eaten each day. A slice of bread has about 20 grams. An 8-ounce glass of milk has 13 grams and 8 ounces of Orange Juice has 30 grams of carbohydrates.

Ketosis is a state at which the body has an extremely high fat-burning rate because fats are being converted by the lover and kidneys by gluconeogenesis to create the sugars needed to run your body. It does not have carbohydrates so insulin production is low.

When there is not enough insulin to get sugar from the blood and into the cells, the body turns to fat for energy. When fat is broken down, ketone bodies are made and can accumulate in the body. High levels of ketones are toxic to the body and may be tested through urine monitoring. These are generally regarded thresholds for ketogenic diets:

Below 0.5 mmol/L is not considered “ketosis”. At this level, you’re far away from maximum fat-burning.

Between 0.5-1.5 mmol/L is light nutritional ketosis. You’ll be getting a good effect on your weight, but not optimal.

Around 1.5 – 3 mmol/L is what’s called optimal ketosis and is recommended for maximum weight loss.

Values of over 3 mmol/L aren’t neccessary. They will achieve neither better nor worse results than being at the 1.5-3 level. Higher values can also sometimes mean that you’re not getting enough food or developing ketoacidosis.

Is it safe? With all rapid diets approaches, you should consult with a qualified physician before you begin and have frequent monitoring. The ketogenic diet has mixed reviews where some love and support it and others issue caution. Virtually eliminating sugars and elevating ketones through gluconeogenesis is the exact opposite of how your body functions normally. Gluconeogenesis is a complex process of how the body performs and copes with severe reductions on carbohydrate intake and there is a transitional period between the two that may have comparable symptoms to an addict in withdrawal.

On average, glucose is necessary. But how much? The daily glucose requirement of the brain in a typical adult human being is about 120 grams, which accounts for most of the 160 grams of glucose needed daily by the whole body. There are slight plusses and minuses associated with activity. How many grams of carbohydrates do you eat daily? Are you overfeeding your body’s needs?

Not all carbohydrates are bad. Some are actually good for you. Unhealthy high carbohydrate foods include sugary cereals, crackers, cakes, flours, jams, preserves, bread products, refined potato products, and sugary drinks are full of sugars. Sugars are common carbohydrates.

Some typically, everyday sources of carbs: A 16-ounce bottle of Snapple Lemon Tea has 36 grams of carbohydrates. A 10-ounce bottle of Juicy Juice (no sugar added) is 26 grams. One slice of bread offers about 18 grams of carbohydrates but a sandwich has at least 36 grams. A slice of pizza has 42 grams of carbohydrates. Sandwich and Coke? 16-ounce bottle of Coca Cola add 50 grams of carbohydrates + 36 grams sandwich. A bagel has 48 grams of carbohydrates. A medium serving of French Fries has about 50 grams carbohydrates. Vegetarian? A Chipotle Vegetarian Burrito has 50 grams of carbohydrates.

Basically, a bagel (dry), a bottle of Coca Cola, and French Fries has almost the daily sugar requirement your brain and body needs. Of course what lunch is complete without a cup of coffee. A Grande Latte at Starbucks adds 18 grams of carbohydrates with no sugar added. Each packet of sugar adds 6 grams of carbohydrates. It is really easy to provide your body with the daily sugars it needs to function from just one meal. Anything above that is excess )and whether foods have added fat or not) unused carbohydrates are converted as fat for storage.

Glucogenesis works on a temporary basis if you don’t eat for 12 or more hours. Breakfast is literally breaking your night fast. If you eat dinner before 6:00pm, and rise at 8:00am (with no snacking in between) glucogenesis may be occurring in a small way. This method helps keep current weight stable. The problem is many of us don’t follow that regimen. We might have wine, beer, chips and other snacks prior to bed. Wake up to more stored fat. Those foods are packed with carbohydrates that keep your pancreas working when it shouldn’t.

The idea behind the ketogenic and Gluconeogenesis diets is removing (or drastically reducing carbohydrates) in food intake. Fat, liver, kidneys, and muscle functions can automatically provide body with 160 grams it requires. Instead you can eat fat, protein, and water. Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic pathway that results in the generation of glucose from certain non-carbohydrate sources that may still have carbon.

Ketogenic and Gluconeogenesis are not normal body states. Avoiding carbohydrates makes your body do strange things that it did not originally adapt for. Your body will adapt as it confronts survival but only if you can stick to the regimen over a lifestyle choice. This is not a quick fix or on/off diet approach. There are pros and cons that you must consult with your physician or nutritional professional.

But adaptation speeds are often slow. It can take as long a eight weeks for some to adapt while others may see some results within three weeks. The key to a successful Gluconeogenesis diet is you really can’t cheat. This may be associated with most other addiction programs but your body can actually adapt to withholding carbohydrates. But can your eyes and nose empower you?

A ketogenic or Gluconeogenesis diet is not to be taken lightly as an on-again or off-again repetitive regimen. It is a religious lifestyle choice that must be followed for weight management. The subtle shifts made by your vital organs may decay if used unwisely. A Gluconeogenesis diet is a lifetime prescription that must be monitored and followed for a lengthy commitment.

People are addicted to many things ordinary and extraordinary. Weight management often copes with variables that we are addicted to. Some bodies adapt while others grow sick. Choosing a gluconeogenesis diet for carbohydrate addiction requires many new adaptations and the common food selections available at diners aren’t very friendly. You really have to seriously consider whether you are ready to manage your weight and follow through.

A physician, through basic blood tests, can advise and alert if a Gluconeogenesis diet is good for you and may help manage it along the way. The real deal is whether you have the discipline to stick to this form of lifestyle. You don’t need to exercise heavily. You don’t need to count calories (only grams of carbs). Avoiding more than 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per day is your route to weight management. Can you do it?

That’s the problem. Gluconeogenesis does not correspond to normal lifestyle eating. Adapting ketogenic diets as a lifestyle is difficult, especially if you become nostalgic for carbohydrate foods. It’s a long word. Finding gluconeogenesis is easier said than done. Of the hundreds of diets and activity regimens, gluconeogenesis is more like a utopia – a shangri-la in a world of carbohydrate addicts. Start slowly and wisely.

Happy New Year 2016.What are your new goals for 2016? Religious and secular new year events often center on health and happiness? Some ask forgiveness oe meditate about past indiscretions. Among those, may be weight loss – intertwined with health and happiness. Us this one of your new goals for 2016? Is it an annual goal at each new year? Is it always prone to failure?

Each year, and with each new year celebration (calendar or ethnic), everyone wishes for new goals to be set or met each year. For many, finding love and weight loss top the list. The problem with new goals for 2016 is that they are mainly repetitions of previous years. That’s because these new goals for 2016 are as lofty and unattainable as previous goals. Many require lifestyle changes and most aren’t ready to pay the price over the long run.

Of new goals for 2016, changing body appearance is almost number one. People realize that books are judged by covers. They are often misleading windows to their content. Barring the busy season for reconstructive surgery, weight maintenance, muscle gain or fat loss are the most sought after goals.

As a regular gym user for over 30 years, I and other regulars often joked how the gyms got filled at the end of December. We knew who they were. By February, the gym was back to normal. That is because people expect change to happen quickly. It doesn’t.

Wisdom dictates that moderate exercise and moderate diet help maintain weight and muscle. For those seeking less weight and more muscle, more effort is required. The process takes years and progress is painfully slow.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly two-thirds of the USA population might be classed as obese. While not a disability, there is no simple treatment or cure. It does require contrasting lifestyle changes that seem tortuous and tedious. With all the available resources from all forms of media, weight-loss remains a phantom in the United States. Conquering obesity is as diversely challenging as establishing world peace.

In “get rich quick” or “get healthy quick” societies, people resort to quick methods. These are more life shocking methods for quick results. Some try living on nutrition shakes alone for a few months. (Imagine sustaining yourself on 3 shakes a day and being satisfied.)

Some try diet pills. Others try going to the gym once or twice a month. Every year there are new methods to demonstrate quick goal attainment for happily ever afters. Generally, though, ever afters are very short. The process doesn’t seem worth the sacrifices. Is weight loss a fantasy? Some say, if it is, it is masochistic. It is a lingering problem.

The reason why weight loss is so damned difficult is very simple:

1) As you age, you typically lose lean muscle by 5% each 10 years. As a result, more fat is visible as muscles help contain fat.

2) Excess calorie consumption – Dietician’s indicate that to lose one pound of fat, you need to lose 3500 calories but that has been challenged recently. Typically, to lose body fat if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you’d lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Is that healthy? How many calories do you need each day?

3) According to webMD categorization based on gender and activity, a woman around age 50, who sits most of the day requires around 1800 calories per day. If she is moderately active, she needs about 2,000 calories per day, and 2200 calories per day active. Men require about 25% more calories. According to Calorie King calculator, a female office worker would need to consume 1100 to 1300 calories per day to lose one pound per week.

4) Exercising more – Apart to the advantages concerning muscle tone and heart rate, how does exercise help lose calories? The Mayo Clinic provides a very good list. According to Mayo Clinic, at a duration of 1 hour, walking burns 214 calories at 2 miles per hour and 300 calories at 3-1/2 miles per hour, if you weigh 160 pounds. If you weigh 200 pounds, it is 255 and 391 calories respectively. Leisure bike riding offers about 40% more calories burned. A low-impact aerobic dance class typically burns over 400 calories per hour at 160 pounds and 600 calories per hour at 200 pounds, Because women are lighter than 160 pounds, the efficacy of working-off calories seems like an aching, slow process in contrast to dieting.

What about fast-acting dietary supplements and drugs?

Many resort to drugs or dietary supplements available and often advertised. They may be mentioned on TV medical shows. These may be quicker methods of dropping weight fast but they carry potential long-term consequences despite popularity. These work at altering basic body functions. Naturally derived, you are strongly advised to see a physician or nutritionist before and during trying these. Many of these supplements may be approved by the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but research testing was small, short, and inconclusive.

A new one is Garcinia Cambogia pills. It, like many other quick methods, was introduced by Dr. Oz on TV. It is hydroxycitric (HCA) acid found in the rind of citrus fruits, primarily grapefruit (the part you usually peel off). It is used for cooking in southeast Asia.

Some very small studies done with few representative samples indicate that Garcinia Cambogia, derived from grapefruit rinds, might also be a natural method for weight loss at doses of hundreds of that found in the rind. HCA, an organic acid, works by making you feel full, reducing your appetite, and affecting metabolism. US Food and Drug Administration approves as a health supplement at doses are between 250 and 1,000 mg each day.

As with all health supplements (example: vitamins), these are chemicals that interact with your body. Garcinia Cambogia works as a drug that helps reduce glucose in your bloodstream and has been used by nutritionists as a possible method to help reduce triglycerides and bad cholesterol. In a WebMD article, side effects may include Dizziness, Dry mouth, Headache, or Upset stomach or diarrhea. Taken habitually, these doses may negatively affect your liver. As a nutritional supplement, standards are not as strict as with prescription drug sources. You may not be getting pure HCA.

Many weight loss supplements may add Caffeine, a key ingredient in coffee and a potential antioxidant to help keep blood vessels clean. Weight loss supplements use higher doses of caffeine than you find in a cup of coffee. The caffeine is derived from natural resources. These may include substances such as guarana (Paullinia cupana), kola (or cola) nut (Cola nitida), and yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

Caffeine is a chemical that works directly on the nervous system and the larger doses may prove harmful. Caffeine is a methylxanthine that stimulates the central nervous system, heart, and skeletal muscles. It also increases gastric and colonic activity and acts as a diuretic for water weight loss. Caffeine might also contribute to weight loss by increasing fat oxidation through sympathetic activation of the central nervous system. As such, as with many CNS activators, it may be addictive. As a short term, less than 2 months at prescribed doses, Caffeine may help weight loss. A caffeine study, however, shows that adding sugar to coffee or chocolate may stimulate weight gain.

What about lifestyle?

The Atkins Diet or Ketosis are lifestyle choices that are in direct contrast to normal and inherited eating habits. These diets virtually eliminate eating carbohydrates. Instead you eat protein and fat. It’s a possibility if you are not monitoring cholesterol levels.

Carbohydrates (examples: grains, fruits, juices, sugars) are very common sources of energy and are found in the USDA recommended food pyramid for daily diets. Atkins and Ketosis (or Ketogenic) limit a maximum of 40 grams of carbohydrates. Of those carbohydrates, they recommend complex carbohydrates (whole grains, soy) over simple (table sugar, white rice). A serving of pasta or rice exceeds the limits of Atkins. A typical sandwich may have 36 grams of carbohydrates or your daily allowance of carbohydrates.

Meats (except organs), fish (except shrimp and lobster) are high protein and moderate fat sources. Soy as Edamame or Tofu are potent vegan sources of protein with lower fat and no cholesterol.

Certain Flat Breads available by mail from Joseph’s Bakery and some other sources offer low-carb breads. After factoring the 7 to 10 grams fiber, the bread has 5 net carbohydrates and about 10 grams of protein. This can help replace bread cravings.

Atkins and Ketosis deliver weight loss over a few months provided you don’t cheat on the 40 grams limit of carbohydrates.

Ketosis has been found beneficial at helping patients with epilepsy. No indications of serious short-term risks have surfaced. It is intended as a method to reach short-term goals quicker than calorie-based diets but maintenance is required for long-term goals and results. You will be less popular at carbohydrate-based social events.

Appearing fashionable and healthy require sacrifices. Appearing younger also require more sacrifices. We live in a culture where parties and celebrations often provide foods in excess followed by sedentary activity. The short term result is weight gain. The long term results are cardio and vascular disease, diabetes, and numerous other diseases. Economically, it aids the pursuit of finding larger size clothing each year.

Some Conclusions

Obesity is a world-wide problem. It may be derived from combinations of foods, snacks, rituals, and lifestyles. Sociologists may bind it to poverty both in the USA and elsewhere. Lack of health insurance and respective availability of certified nutritionists helps assure that even the USA has a lingering problem with obesity and the diseases that may result from them. While those diseases are covered by State and private insurance policies, their prevention is not.

Losing 20, 30, or more pounds of body weight is very difficult. Based on the accepted notion that to lose weight you need to lose 3500 calories per pound demonstrates the need for herculean efforts.

It is not simple. The likelihood of following through a weight-loss program may seem an unattainable goal. It may require high levels of motivation and fortitude.

Aspiring for health and wellness as new goals for 2016 are admirable. Individuals adding weight loss as one of the mew goals for 2016 for better appearance and possible health have much to consider. Realizing and understanding that those new goals for 2016 are filled with sacrifices is wiser. While no results offer guarantees, those new goals for 2016 must carry on to 2017, 2018, and beyond. At the point you meet your goals, then maintenance is easier by choosing moderate diets and exercise that suit your new lifestyle.

In a twist of a famous quote: Comedy is easy. Weight loss is hard. Both have their rewards. For those of you that made it down here, a secret is eating dinner at 6:00 and nothing else. Your body uses fat storage after 12 hours.

Got a sweet tooth? Sugars often get a bad reputation for being the instigator behind obesity, diabetes, cavities, and an entire set of conditions and sicknesses. There are often other reasons. Sugars are part of an essential family of nutrients that your body needs. They are called carbohydrates and consist of several types of sugars (simple carbohydrates), starches (complex carbohydrates), and fiber. Simple carbohydrates are those easily absorbed by the body for quick energy. Starches are absorbed at slower rates for more consistent, longer energy.Fiber is key to helping digestion; it helps the body move food through the digestive tract, reduces serum cholesterol, and contributes to disease protection. People are addicted to carbohydrates. Are processed food with no sugar added a healthy choice when avoiding excess consumption of carbohydrates?

Walk through the supermarket aisles an note how many foods have the words No Sugar Added. It’s a common marketing deception. It doesn’t mean that no sweetener was added. Those sweeteners are not listed as carbohydrates on most nutrition panels but they are listed ingredients. The two most popular are Aspartame and Sucralose. These can be more harmful than sugar.

Sugar is good for you but too much sugar has been negatively associated with mood swings, tooth decay, diabetes, and weight management.

Carbohydrates are found in grains (rice, wheat, etc.), fruits, vegetables, and legumes (lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans, soybeans and peanuts). Legumes add amounts of vegetable proteins and fats that are necessary nutrients to maintain your body’s muscles, cells, and other structural needs. None of these foods have cholesterol. Living on a vegan (all the above) diet will provide the necessary nutrients to energize and provide vitamins and phytonutrients.

Unprocessed foods that are rich in phytonutrients help provide support against diseases or conditions. There are over 1,000 phytonutrients in the various foods that are in a vegan diet.

As part of the standard nutritional panel, sugar is a carbohydrate, an essential ingredient your body needs for functioning. A carbohydrate consists 3 ways – sugars, starches, and fibers. There two more common sugars – sucrose (the powdered stuff you add to coffee and recipes) and fructose (derived from fruits and vegetables). Both help make the glucose that are essential for living. Foods with no sugar added sound healthy but they may also result in harming your body’s natural processing to create glucose. Your brain requires glucose for all those things you think about and do.

Simple carbohydrates include sugars found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. They also include sugars added during food processing and refining. Complex carbohydrates include whole grain breads and cereals, starchy vegetables and legumes. Many of the complex carbohydrates are good sources of fiber. A combination of these are necessary as fuel for proper body function. High quantities are considered toxic so no added sugar appears to make sense. Does this make no sugar added foods make sense?

Carbohydrates are very necessary and dietary recommendations (RDA) are specified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as outlined on nutritional panels of packaged foods. For a 150 pound individual, mostly sedentary, at middle age there are average RDA noted. The standard recommendation for carbohydrate is 45-65% of total calories. This means if 1800 calories are eaten each day, the recommended amount of carbohydrate is 202-292 grams based on 45-65% calories from carbohydrate. They are associated with calorie needs.

Calories are energy units that foods provide – some come from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Eating calories is necessary for performing any activity, including autonomic activities within your body. Your gender, weight, age, and height factor into your minimum calorie requirement. If you are active, you require more calories. If you are sedentary, you need fewer calories. Wise consumption of calories is closely associated with weight maintenance, gain, or loss.

Calorie deprivation can kill you. Over long periods, calorie restriction can result in stress on your body’s required internal functions. Anyone trying to play with rapid or extreme weight loss by using calorie restriction, MUST do so with (and under advisement) of a qualified physician.

Added sugars to most processed foods escalate calories to meet applied marketing tastes. Making processed products that have no sugar added or sugar-free by substituting sugar and calories may be more harmful to your health.

No sugar added doesn’t necessarily translate to fewer carbohydrates. Many canned fruit juices and deserts claim that no sugar is added to the product and there’s 100% juice. Fruits have natural carbohydrate content. In a bottle of Cranberry Juice Cocktail, you will find other juices like Apple and Grape that have higher “natural” sugars that thrust carbohydrates per serving up, while the canned juice can claim that no sugar was added.

There are also natural sweeteners. One that is found in many “No Sugar Added” products is Stevia. Stevia is from a plant and has the approval from the USA Food and Drug Administration for use as a sweetener. Stevia contributes no calories and no carbohydrates, according to the way measurements are taken. If Stevia contributes no calories and adds sweetness from nature, why is it not as popular as sugar?

Stevia rebaudiana, is reportedly up to 250 times sweeter than sugar and contains virtually no calories but people don’t necessarily embrace Stevia as well as sugar.

Stevia has a bitter after taste that don’t correspond well with many sweet sensory receptors on your tongue. Cells, organs, and the brain thrive on certain amounts of glucose. Stevia may not provide that, although it contributes perceived natural sweetness in dietary research studies. While people suffering with sugar associated diabetes and obesity symptoms.

Splenda or sucralose is a popular non-caloric sweetener added to many foods. Sucralose is designed to sound like the most common form of sugar, sucrose. Sucralose is a synthetic method of playing with sucrose. Sucrose is a naturally occurring sugar, a caloric carbohydrate. Sucralose, on the other hand, is an artificial sweetener, produced in a lab. A technical combines 3 sucrose molecules by adding chlorine to make trichlorosucrose, so the chemical structures of the two sweeteners are related, but not identical. The addition of Chlorine removes sucralose from the family of carbohydrates and caloric values. While it offers sweetness to the taste, some feel it has a sour aftertaste. That’s the chlorine – a toxic chemical used to whiten washed clothes or clean your swimming pool. Sucralose was patented and tested, first approved for use as a non-nutritive sweetener in Canada. It is marketed as Splenda.

Another popular sweetener is Aspartame and is marketed as NutraSweet and Equal. Aspartame is a common sweetener additive to sodas, fruit drinks, and other products. It is an artificial substance that claims to be as much as 200-times sweeter than sucrose. Aspartame, available since the 1960’s, is not a carbohydrate and does not add calories. Aspartame is made by joining together the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are found naturally in many foods.

Every so often there is a research study that claims Aspartame consumption may be involved in the formation of cancer but many tests use small samples or inappropriate dosing of animals. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set recommendations for Aspartame. The FDA has set the ADI (Average Daily Intake) for aspartame at 50 milligrams per approximately 2 pounds of body weight. That means if you weigh 150 pounds, the FDA allows 0.5 grams of consumption. Unfortunately, there are virtually no products that list Aspartame content per serving on any packaging.

For dieters, however, Aspartame is a no sugar added winner. Grape Juice has about 150 calories per serving and 40 grams of carbohydrates. Aspartame Diet Grape Juice has about 5 calories per serving and 5 to 15 grams of carbohydrates, depending how much juice is actually in the drink. Soda, the most popular beverage, There are about 90 calories per 8-ounce serving of Coca Cola and 25 grams of carbohydrates. Aspartame-laced Coca Cola Zero (aimed at dieters) delivers 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates. There is no sugar added to Coke Zero but is it diet-friendly?

The problem is soda should not be drunk by the liters. It is not water. The lack of carbohydrates and necessary sugar your body needs will keep initiate hunger. The potential to snack and eat poorly may result in weight gain, a study suggests.

No sugar added partners with Sugar-Free through the use of sugar alcohols that are found in chewing gum, chocolates, cookies, and cakes. Sugar alcohols commonly found in foods are sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (found in sugar-free protein bars and supplements). You might find sugar alcohols in fruits and berries, but those naturally occurring sugars are sent to the lab.. The carbohydrate in these plant products is altered through a chemical process. These sugar substitutes provide somewhat fewer calories than adding table sugar (sucrose).

No sugar added is a short-cut to dieting and may help diabetics control blood sugar levels. Dieters seeking lower carbohydrate solutions calculate actual Net Carbs by subtracting fiber grams from Total Carbohydrates. This formula is used in the Atkin’s Diet or as ketosis – but these diets shun carbohydrates.

Your body and you love carbohydrates. Carbohydrate-based calories deliver energy in most parts of the globe. The nutrition panels of processed or packaged foods list amounts of carbohydrates per serving. Choosing the right foods will provide the calories you need for your activity.

Common sense dictates that (to provide adequate energy throughout the day through carbohydrate calorie consumption) eat breakfast like a king (queen), lunch like a prince (princess), and dinner like a pauper. Following these guidelines may help you achieve a healthy weight without compromising energy.

In the USA, we have been programmed to eat more at dinner than breakfast. Breakfast is your most important meal. Hectic commuting schedules incite judgment errors avoiding the day’s requirements without a full tank of valued calories. Your energy often is as important as what you wear. Alas, United States reserves big meals for dinner. Ever consider doing away with Thanksgiving dinner and doing a Thanksgiving breakfast?

No sugar added is not what you think. Products with no sugar added don’t taste the same and aren’t necessarily absorbed as well. If you are aiming at weight loss, diet and activity are the age-old truths. It’s not a quick-fix process. You can eat and have your cake too (just a bite instead of a slice). Adapting to your optimum calorie consumption through a vegan diet, using a good calorie calculator can help you reach your goals. Eating well, keeping healthy and attractive are your responsibilities. There are no short cuts. Avoid processed foods with No Sugar Added.

Some people call it excessively fat. Others call it overweight. Doctors may call it obese. For politicians and statisticians, obesity is a broad problem, though perhaps, too broad. In the past 40 years, weight-loss surgeries have greatly expanded as a medical specialization to help reduce obesity. They are costly interventions and very profitable. It is surprising that research has been published demonstrating that Obesity Surgery improves brain functioning. Some of the researchers were bariatric surgeons. In a culture where obesity and diseases are threatening longevity, is surgery a viable quick-fix solution?

Is being overweight a result of age, genetics, or lifestyle? Studies show some life-threatening diseases are associated with being overweight. According to the Center for Disease Control, a USA government agency, degrees of being overweight and obesity is more pervasive. Obesity is definitely not merely age related. Invasive surgical techniques (bariatric) are being advertised as treatments. Insurances cover procedures for certain obese levels. Obesity has been linked as possible causes for many diseases. On August 26 2014, a new study examining bariatric surgery was published inferring that obesity Surgery improves brain functioning. It may reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer Disease symptoms. Many of the diseases, purportedly tied to weight and obesity, may be sourced from other origins.

Obesity has been associated to diabetes and circulatory diseases. A new endocrinology study shows Changes in Neuropsychological Tests and Brain Metabolism After Bariatric Surgery may reduce brain circulation problems that associate with heart, organ, and brain conditions, including Alzheimer Disease symptoms.

There may be over 78 million people classified as obese or very overweight in the USA, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. That’s near one-third of the country’s population.

The most common way to find out whether you’re overweight or obese is to figure out your body mass index (BMI). BMI is an estimate of body fat, and it’s a good gauge of your risk for diseases that occur with more body fat. Few physicians rely on BMI but use weight on scales to diagnose obesity and the BMI debate seems to question the diagnosis. BMI may not be accurate as a reliable diagnostic tool.

One mode of measurement has been gaining popularity to determine obesity is waist circumference measurements. Men with a waist circumference of more than 40 inches and women with a circumference of more than 35 inches are at a higher risk for developing obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

I often comment about how many men use pants with sizes less than 40″ beneath their belly, that might actually be substantially over 40 inches. The maximum waist size of most standard pants sold is up to 42 inches. Beyond that, men must buy “big-size” pants from a specialty source. Women must resort to Plus-size clothing for sizes beyond extra-large parameters. Many squeeze into standard sizes resulting in pain and (possibly) organic problems.

Measuring obesity in women may also require waist and hip sizes but, often, Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) may be a poor obesity marker. Unlike waist circumference, WHR is not necessarily a measure of absolute abdominal fat mass. It is, however, a measure of abdominal fat relative to lower body mass. As such, a relatively lean individual could theoretically have the same WHR as an obese individual.

Two imaging techniques are now considered to be the most accurate methods for measuring tissue, organ, and whole-body fat mass as well as lean muscle mass and bone mass. These help indicate how obesity is affecting your body. While obesity is impacting radiology departments throughout the country, many overweight peopl3e do not fit into these machines.

Yet statisticians set the standards for obesity and how many people are actually very fat. When it comes to overweight, the numbers are staggering high.

Exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes are being weighed to discuss obesity control. A surgical procedure called Bariatric Surgery is becoming more popular for those people who are very obese. It is an invasive surgery geared for people who have tried other ways of losing weight and size to help move out of the clinical obesity ranges. Few studies have examined long-term efficiency of surgical methods and obesity. Yet, the large initial weight loss is associated with reducing risks on related diseases. The researchers of the recent obesity study and brain association are affiliated with a bariatric surgery group. More people are electing bariatric surgery as a means of weight control and image improvement. Does it work?

Weight loss surgery is not even close to the solution for obesity. Whether it is liposuction that vacuums the fat from certain areas, or bariatric surgery that reduces the capacity to eat, neither guarantees permanent weight loss. Many regain any weight lost and several still are threatened with diabetes and circulatory diseases. Obesity, however, is not always linked to high blood levels of cholesterol that may contribute to plaque in arteries and veins that might cause heart and brain diseases. As for incidence of neurocognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease, there’s very little conclusive evidence that directly relate obesity to the incidence of memory disorders. Basically, weight loss surgery is a tool but not a clear solution to solving obesity.

Bariatric surgery can help a 300 pound person become 200 pounds. Prospective patients should not anticipate moving from a size 26 to a size 8 for social and psychological reasons. Those that do, are far from average. They are highly motivated at maintaining long-term lifestyle changes post-surgically. Most do not experience radical differences in appearance. It may be those changes that help improve certain fat-related conditions. Bariatric surgery may help by reducing food storage capacity. Sticking to strict diets will help prevent and reduce problems like vomiting and nausea by exceeding capacity.

Typically, Bariatric Surgery costs are around $20,000 to $30,000. This may not include hospital and anesthesia fees. Many health insurance companies will pay some costs if obesity is directly linked to heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and a few others. In a world where loss of memory is a great fear, it is obvious that bariatric surgeons research and conclude that results may dramatically reduce incidence of memory loss. That, too, may be insurable.

Numerous conditions, diseases, and ailments may lead to weight gain and, possibly, obesity. Aging means loss of lean muscle and gain of fat, as a natural progression. Some say longevity may be related to fat among older people. Also, hypothyroidism, Cushing Syndrome, and mood disorders may be medical reasons for obesity. Common arthritis and fibromyalgia may result in obesity due to experiential pain with movement. Any disorder affecting mobility may add pounds.

Statistics also don’t take consideration of varieties of height, bone sizes, and muscular width as possible reasons that define obesity. A man at 77 inches tall may naturally have a 40″ waist and not be obese. Standards for men show 40″ waist as borderline obese.

Barring disease, natural size variations, and statistical errors, lifestyles following conscient9ious diets and active lifestyles may, over years, help people stay trimmer.

Sitting in offices or working on computers for extended lengths may increase weight and hip sizes. The condition is Sitting Disease and it may contribute to larger hip sizes throughout years of seated work. This may contribute to an obese appearance. The cure is more standing, walking, and stretching throughout the day.

A common misconception among those people in normally acceptable weight ranges is that weight gain is quick. It isn’t. It’s a gradual process where aging, genetics, and lifestyles form a complex network. Other than laundry shrinkage, your clothes are getting tighter because muscles are becoming less lean with age. It is referred as Sarcopenia but is relatively normal and effects vary among individuals. According to an article in WebMD:

People who are physically inactive can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass per decade after age 30. Even if you are active, you will still experience some muscle loss.

The causes of Sarcopenia process are varied and some research points to calibrations in homeostasis that are normal in the aging body. More research is targeting this area. Yet small studies among seniors demonstrate that lean muscle may be gained with routine daily activity.

Weight gain is a normal aging process and vigilant activity may slow it down. No activity over decades beyond age 30 could lead to obesity and all those partner symptoms that reduce longevity. Ironically, at some ages, weight loss at older ages can contribute to higher mortality rates.

Obesity has existed throughout history. In art, many images from centuries ago depict fatter people. There are few remnants to predict or trace their longevity. Fat is normal. Obesity was common.

Of all the wisdom and variances, moderate diet and moderate activity (walking at brisk pace 30 minutes per day) is likely to stave off obesity among people over 45. Whether it improves brain function or longevity is in need of further examination.

For the majority of the population, more sedentary times and availability/marketing of snack foods help accelerate the fat accumulation associated with Sarcopenia and poor habits. Fighting obesity within a normal population is a painfully slow process. There are no quick-fix solutions. Bariatric surgeries and plastic surgeries are valuable but only tools. Reversing the habits we’ve acquired in the modern and digital ages is as difficult and impossible as smokers and alcoholics succeed in fighting their addictions. Successes are very small.

Barring medical reasons, the growth rates associated with obesity is the end-product of 70 years of snacking and technology that are integral parts of living. Learning to add exercise and food management routines early in life may likely curb obesity levels. Whether one can follow through these skills and habits throughout life’s stresses, adversities, and progressions is a big question mark. We may never look like fashion models. Obesity rates are natural and (theoretically) can be controlled easily. For most, however, starting and following-through may be a Herculean task in a society that stresses snacks and seated activities as a comforting lifestyle.

It takes very little effort each day to battle obesity and possibly suppress any life-threatening conditions that obesity may be linked with. There is no quick fix. Barring genetics, there is no turning back the clock of age. As a long term goal, balancing obesity and health is a habit to target at ages when most don’t think about it.

Gaining weight is as natural as gravity. Gravity is a constant. As we seek to conquer gravity, the perpetual efforts to battle the influences of obesity and weight gain are within the grasp of most people at any age. In this case, memory and remembering are important factors. Weight loss surgeries don’t necessarily help in the long run.

A relatively new ingredient, Isomalto-Oligosaccharides, is finding its way into meal replacement products. These are supplements that provide protein and vitamins to those actively pursuing better body appearance. Isomalto-Oligosaccharides add sweetness and fiber to aid feeling full. You’ve heard of Probiotics helping digestion. This ingredient is a PREBIOTIC. So…when lunching or snacking, should you reach for a meal replacement bar? This sounds too good to be true. So LifeDoc Lifetime is investigating this very long, complex-sounding ingredient. Is it useful for your weight management program?

Weight management or weight loss is a frustrating problem. Many people resort to nutritional supplements, in the form of shakes and bars as meal replacements. A few protein and fiber nutritionals supplements are using an ingredient IMO.Isomalto-Oligosaccharides are referred as IMO. Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) are applied as functional food ingredients but what are they and how are they metabolized by your body?

In a 2005 response from the FDA, to BioNeutra (in response to marketing health products in the United States containing Isomalto-Oligosaccharides), the FDA made an allowance of up to 30 grams per day. The product that BioNeutra was applying for was VitaFiber. The VitaFiber product is marketed as a low-calorie sweetener with fiber.

Quest Nutrition makes “healthy” meal replacement bars that offer 20 grams protein and 17 grams fiber, plus vitamins, in a meal replacement bar. Their list of ingredients show that Isomalto-Oligosaccharides are the second highest ingredient. According to nutrition panel listings, however, the number of IMO grams are absent.

Many protein diet replacement products use Soy as a protein source. Quest Protein Bar uses Whey Protein Isolate, that is a dairy-based protein derivative. For those sensitive to Soy, Whey Protein is considered a better, healthier source of protein.
Meal replacement bars are intended for use in body building so consumption in a sedentary lifestyle may reduce dietary benefits.

Use of IMO claims to be used as pre-biotic fiber that helps add to its low-glycemic index. Foods with low-glycemic indexes are seen as healthier choices for diabetics and those concerned with the effects of a sugar-rush from carbohydrates.

When you eat carbohydrates (carbs), there are simple and complex carbohydrates. As part of a typical diet, carbohydrates produce energy. Complex carbs take longer to metabolize than simple carbs and are reported to provide a longer, steadier stream of energy. Eating too many carbs is known as a leading cause of obesity or weight gain.

Diet replacement bars do have carbs and they do have sugar, though generally less sugar than a typical chocolate bar. You are also getting 15 to 20 grams of protein in the popular bars and up to 18 vitamins. Depending on the manufacturer, protein bars may have high-glycemic or low glycemic carbs and about 190 to 300 calories per 2-ounce average bar. The protein equivalent is comparable to 2-1/2 glasses of milk, 1 can of sardines, a serving of lunch meat or cheese. The carb equivalent is usually equal to or less than two slices of bread. Fat is generally less than salami, bologna, cheese, sardines, and 2-glasses of whole milk. The prime goal of the protein bar is convenience with some acquired taste. They are intended for use directly before or after an exercise.

The Quest Nutrition Bar uses Isomalto-Oligosaccharides as a sweetener and as a source of fiber. Fiber is believed to help fill you with intestinal bulk so your appetite is satiated for a longer periods of time. A Quest bar has 17 grams of fiber per bar, about 35% more than a serving of a high fiber cereal. The carb content of 25g is equivalent to a serving of All Bran or Fiber One but, with all that fiber, the net carb value is about 8 grams (though the manufacturer claims 3 grams). Protein is 20 grams from Whey Protein Isolate. The total fat is 5% (1% Saturated fat) is about the same as a serving of low-fat milk. There are no significant vitamin values but Quest, using IMO and a sugar alcohol, manages to deliver protein and fiber at around 160 calories.

As good as this Quest Protein Bar may sound, the State of California has issued a lawsuit against Quest Nutrition for false label claims. Quest denies this. The suit was filed December 2013 against Quest Nutrition and may not be resolved for a while.

The lawsuit contends that the fiber count is misleading. Using Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) as the fiber source in their protein bar is also deemed natural because it is found in naturally fermented foods. It is a long chain molecule and it is much cheaper to manufacture it in factories by applying enzymes to various starch sources. Assuming this IMO is manufactured, is the fiber count valid as theory or as a bar nutrition claim? Then again, can we be sure that any nutrition panel is a valid representation of its nutritive contents?

A competitor of Quest Protein Bar is the ISS Research Victory Bar and its nutritive claim is similar to the Quest Protein bar but with 20 grams of fiber. Instead of listing IMO as a fiber source, the Victory Bar lists natural Prebiotic Fiber Syrup (tapioca). Guess what? It is an IMO because IMO is found naturally in barley, corn, pulses (peas, beans, lentils) oats, tapioca, rice, potato, and other starchy foods.

The reason why the FDA approved IMO in the first place is that IMO is a multifunctional health molecule which exerts positive effects on human digestive health, as a prebiotic. IMO is finding global acceptance by food manufacturers for use in a wide range of food products as a source of dietary fiber in foods that may not naturally contain fiber. China and Japan have been manufacturing IMO for decades but, in the USA, it is considered a novel ingredient. Being a novel food ingredient, there wasn’t any producer of IMO in North America and Europe, until recently when BioNeutra Inc. started to manufactured this product with the trade name of VitaFiber-IMO.

IMO may be under-tested but is generally reported to have no side effects. A study in 2001 demonstrated that IMO may have cholesterol management benefits. An Asian study contends that an IMO may inhibit tumor growth in mice.

Basically, all drugs and nutritional products have benefits and consequences measured to particular scales. What those scales might be is a question. Overeating carbs has been linked to obesity and overeating fats have been linked to arterial disease. Obesity is a disease even though some obese people live long lifespans.

Your body likes status-quo. It requires calories as energy, either from carbs, fat, or protein. If you are overweight, the body will struggle to remain overweight.

Your body doesn’t care whether you’re obese and whether your clothes sizes are getting larger. There are calorie calculators that help you establish calorie goals to trick your body to function on fewer calories, burning carbs or fats. If you restrict carbs to a bare minimum, the body will metabolize your fat as fuel. That’s a great way to lose fat easily.

The United States Department of Agriculture offers many healthful hints to eat healthy and manage weight. As part of a conscientious diet and exercise initiative, your body’s size and energy levels may improve over reasonable time. There’s no quick-fix. Time is a factor. Think how long it took you to get overweight. Supplemental use of protein nutrition bars help support goals as needed.

Avoid protein bars that say “No Sugar Added”. These may be untasty or use sugar alcohols to simulate sweetness. Sugar alcohols are not viewed as sugars. Many sugar alcohols are natural but a couple (Maltitol and Mannitol) may have a laxative effect if eaten to excess. Sugar alcohols do not intoxicate but are part of the alcohol family. They are lower glycemic and reduce nutritive carb values. Taste is an issue and these do contain calories.

I’ve tried Quest Nutrition. They taste great but they cost twice as much and, there are virtually no known negative effects of Isomalto-Oligosaccharides, I’m taking a wait-&-see approach. While Isomalto-Oligosaccharides are seen as a naturally occurring prebiotic, it is likely that most of the IMO is manufactured outside of the USA in Asian labs. Even though the FDA claims up to 30-45 grams per day is safe, I’m concerned about the purity of this product that is likely not manufactured under direct USA approval.

Isomalto-oligosaccharide is a mixture of short-chain carbohydrates which has a digestion-resistant property. Raw materials used for manufacturing IMO are starches similar to those found in foods, which is enzymatically converted into a mixture of Isomalto-=oligosaccharide. Most of the consumer products are sourced outside the USA, particularly Canada.

Non-digestible oligosaccharides are low molecular weight carbohydrates found in nature between simple sugars and polysaccharides. They can be obtained by direct extraction from natural sources, or produced by chemical processes hydrolyzing polysaccharides, or by enzymatic and chemical synthesis from disaccharides. IMO possesses important physicochemical and physiological properties, and are claimed to behave as dietary fibers and prebiotics. Increased understanding of the metabolism of prebiotic inulin and oligosaccharides by probiotics are facilitating development

Many food scientists around the world are excited about IMO and its potential dietary benefits. It adds sweetness and fiber to foods, making them more dietary efficient. Nonetheless, use of synthesized IMO as supplements to food is basically 21st-century technology and further research is recommended.

Quest Nutrition Bars and Victory Bars are popular among athletes and active individuals seeking to optimize performance potentials. Many claim they are tasty. At 160 to 180 calories and 20 grams of protein, with or without its claimed fiber, these (protein supplement) bars may be influential in starting your journey to seeing positive results in a weight management program. Just be sure that they are only part of your dietary intake. A balanced diet and moderate exercise program is still advised as a long-term lifestyle approach.

Unlike most candy bars, protein bars are an acquired taste. They generally come in many flavors and flavor preferences are person-specific. Try an assortment first. While Isomalto-Oligosaccharides may sound complex, it is likely to be discussed, litigated and explored further as a beneficial or consequential approach to dietary health today and tomorrow.

It is mind over your body’s need to maintain status-quo. Aging automatically reduces lean muscles and fat naturally accumulates. A weight management lifestyle is no easy task. Make realistic expectations. Protein bars are convenient ways to help you gain advantages to lose weight. It’s an advantage but not an end. Weight management is a conscious effort but very rewarding for health and appearance.

A chemistry teacher once introduced the class, saying that everything on earth is a chemical. Water is a chemical. Science can synthesize chemicals. Pharmacies, supermarkets, and online resources offer hundreds of non-prescription health remedies and dietary supplements. Health remedies are usually under some government scrutiny but dietary supplements are not. Conflicts over the integrity of those supplements, that many people rely on, arise regularly. People believe supplements offer alternate routes to health and wellness. Many articles support those beliefs but there are also many that don’t. Diseases and health conditions have always existed and remedies have always been sought. From magic natural potions to scientifically synthesized chemicals, challenges of nature and nurture have been fought for the last 150 years. Are supplements healthier than meds?

Judging from the size of pharmacy stores, we are a pill popping society. There are pills for anything from analgesics to weight loss. While traditional medicines are seen a scientific approach, supplements are being promoted. Is one better than the other?

Last weekend, the New York Times ran an article advising readers to Skip the Supplements in relationship to the amazing amounts of nutritional supplements available. Supplements are used around the world and in the USA as a form of alternative medicine or4 complementary medicine. In the USA, supplements are NOT approved and tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for therapeutic use or for possible side effects. Unless advised by a medical professional or unless you’ve taken (and excelled) a course in pharmacology, you should not use supplements on small children.

Supplements, like vitamins, herbs, and other natural nutritionals, have been used for thousands of years for general health and as cures for illnesses. Possible negative side effects were unknown or not scientifically tested. Vitamin D3 is excellent for structural support and cardiovascular health and supplements of D3 are recommended but how much is good for you? Vitamin B3 (Niacin) may improve good cholesterol levels but overdose can harm your liver over time. Drugs like opium and marijuana were once seen as supplements, and marijuana (to some degree) is now seen to help some medical conditions. Did you know that Aspirin was once considered a supplement? There are benefits and consequences with everything. For the average person, taking supplements as a substitute for medicines may not always be the better choice. That’s why the Nation Institutes of Health see supplements as complementary – able to help support medical approaches.

Historically, many of the diseases humans encounter today were seen in communities thousands of years ago, as evidenced by occurrences in less-civilized areas in Africa and South America. Medicinal leaders of various tribes attempted to find remedies to these conditions but effectiveness was a gamble, an unscientific one. Science has provided faster and more efficient ways at preventing and eliminating dreadful diseases. But are traditional medicines better than supplements? In some ways, yes. In other ways, no.

There is a war among traditional medical therapies and alternative, complementary therapies that has been waging for the past hundred years. Early medicine came from alchemy, the non-medical but serious study of medicinal naturals. Prior to that, complementary therapies were the mainstream. For the previous thousands of years, using Alchemy was one of the major therapeutic paths used to aid and restore wellness. It was a skillful art passed through generations by way of children and apprentices.

Alternative therapies weren’t just derived from leaves, vegetation, and flowers. There are those that came from human contact, such as massage and acupuncture.

Science evolved in the 1800’s trying to prove the unproven. What diseases were once considered Candida, science identified as mold, fungi, and bacteria. In the 1900’s, medical researchers aimed at developing antibiotics to treat diseases resulting from these phenomena. Telescopic observation demonstrated that mold had all sorts of adaptive behaviors to infect other organisms. These were akin to Darwin’s observation of survival of the fittest. Antibiotics are natural substances that are released by bacteria and fungi into the their environment, as a means of inhibiting other organisms. Antibiosis was how mold survived over the ages.

Infectious diseases and antibiotic treatments weren’t new concepts. The ancient Egyptians, the Chinese, and Indians of central America all used molds to treat infected wounds. A 19th-century researcher, Louis Pasteur found that cooking milk helped eliminate some of the disease causing effects coming from natural milk. Pasteur lived in an era where many early medical researchers were exploring diseases like cholera and smallpox, previously identified as forms of candida.

The spread of cholera, due to poor sewage systems, were once attributed as plagues in the dark and medieval times. Churches saw these as holy curses of the unholy. Alchemists were blamed and suffered tortuous death. Yet, cholera still exists in many parts of the world. Pasteur, however, was one of those 19th-century thinkers, that helped identify treatment.

Polio or poliomyelitis (which comes from the Greek words for grey and marrow) has stricken many through the centuries. Polio reached epidemic proportions in the early 1900s in countries with relatively high standards of living, at a time when other diseases such as diphtheria, typhoid, and tuberculosis were declining. Indeed, many scientists think that advances in hygiene paradoxically led to an increased incidence of polio. There are theories that chemical toxins used on plants may have triggered the epidemic. President Franklin D Roosevelt was a major figure with this mobility-challenging disease. Scientists postulated that Polio is caused by one of three types of poliovirus (which are members of the Enterovirus genus). These viruses spread through contact between people, by nasal and oral secretions, and by contact with contaminated feces. Poliovirus enters the body through the mouth, multiplying along the way to the digestive tract, where it further multiplies. While there is no authentic medical treatment, Jonas Salk is credited with bringing a Polio vaccine that virtually eliminated onset of this disease. The idea of that vaccine is reported to have come from a virus found in a moldy orange fruit.

But even medicine has its flaws. Some FDA approved medicines have been removed because of previously unknown harmful effects. There are discussions that antibiotics are being over prescribed for colds and misused by physicians and patients. Antibiotics are used to combat bacterial infections but some common diseases may be the result of viral infections. Overuse of antibiotics reduces effectiveness as bacteria eventually adapt to the drug.

Some believe that supplements go beyond pills and supplements. Ancient ideas targeted paths of energy and created a science beyond any science we might know. But is it scientific or complementary?

The goals in pursuing healthy approaches aren’t chemical alone. Massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic are seen as popular therapeutic complementary approaches. In some ways, these non-chemical disciplines may offer healing therapy when there are no traditional therapy. Moderate exercise, Yoga, Pilates or just walking briskly may complement health and wellness. A crucial element is diet and getting proper nutrition. The George Mateljan Foundation or WH-Foods is a comprehensive and beneficial resource. Most times, people don’t have the time or the money or the taste to pursue a healthy nutritional diet. Supplements are not substitutes for food. They are designed to complement what you’re not getting.

Based on your diet, skipping supplements may actually be dangerous to your health over the course of years. The fee becomes the inconveniences and high costs of medical care, in many situations.

The average diet does not provide all the vitamins and minerals that the human body needs. Vitamin supplements are actively advertised and find their way to store shelves. Years ago, it was found that sailors, who had limited or no access to natural fruits, developed scurvy, a disease known to cause anemia, debility, exhaustion, edema (swelling) in some parts of the body, and sometimes ulceration of the gums and loss of teeth.

There are many relationships between nutrition and health. How do consumers know the difference from synthesized nutritional supplements and those that are naturally derived? How can people be assured that the amount on the label is what their body is getting?

There are multiple vitamin supplements that seem to offer large amounts of practically everything. How are you sure that these many substances interact well with the others? How are you sure about proper absorption?

We are a naturally pill popping society. Recently, there were warnings that Bufferin has a toxic chemical in their pills. Scientists, when creating marketable pills, add inert (inactive) ingredients that allow the creation of the pill with long-term shelf storage. In the case of those popular over-the-counter drugs, the inert mix was toxic. In inexpensive vitamin supplements, those inert pill ingredients can actually mar the performance of those nutritional supplements and (possibly) your health.

Tinctures are a way to get around those inert ingredients found in pills. These are in liquid form and are dropped beneath your tongue. Why beneath? Some of these may not suit your tastes.

When taking herbs or spices, these supplements may not be as effective in pure forms as they are in their natural form. Phytophenolic combinations in natural foods may lose some properties in the conversion process.

If you are really leaning toward using supplements as a guide to health and wellness, seek out a competent nutrition practitioner or Nutritionist. Seek out one who is a Registered Dietician (RD) and fulfills the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). There are undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered by many universities.

In New York City, medical facilities feature nutritionists as a way of providing integrative, holistic approaches to balance traditional medicine and supplements. Lenox Hill Primary Care, Beth Israel Center for Health and Healing are two very good places that help you find medical and nutritional health. The use of Integrative Medicine is spreading across the country, combining both traditional and alternative-complementary health care. Choose and check health insurance policies that offer this.

Standards and purity effect medicines and supplements. FDA or some other organization shouldn’t be your guide. Your life and sense of living is your primary path. While all things may not make you happy now and after, pursuing health and wellness is your responsibility. Fortunately, you live in a society that offers many choices. Whether you want to trust traditional medicine or supplements is your decision. Integrating both may be wiser but there are no guarantees. No one thing may treat what ails you. The methods may seem unorthodox but healthy aging is a good thing as life expectancies extend.